SR 6.4 Disposition of Cases of Academic Offenses & Definitions

6.4 DISPOSITION OF CASES OF ACADEMIC OFFENSES

[US: 3/10/86; US: 3/7/88; US: 12/12/2005]

These rules govern the prosecution of academic offenses defined in SR 6.3. The rules in this SR 6.4 are binding upon all persons and groups mentioned in these rules. Instructors who impose penalties for academic offenses without following these rules are violating the due-process rights of students. Instructors, administrators, and the Appeals Board do not have the authority to impose penalties less than the minimum prescribed by these rules. Deadlines may be extended by mutual agreement of the involved parties. 

If the academic offense involves research and/or extramural funding, the administrative regulation for handling the offense is outlined in Administrative Regulation 7:2. [US: 2/10/97]

6.4.1 DEFINITIONS

[US: 3/9/2015]

For purposes of this SR 6.4:

1. The terms "chair," "dean," and "Provost" include their designees.

2. "Chair" includes directors of programs and deans of colleges or schools without a departmental structure.
3. "XE" and "XF" are grades indicating failure due to an academic offense, as defined in SR 5.1.1. The grades shall be so recorded on a student's transcript distinct from any other grade of E or F and shall not be changed to a W by retroactive withdrawal, pursuant to SR 5.1.7.5, or removed from a student's GPA calculation by the Repeat Option otherwise provided in SR 5.3.2.
4. "Notice" shall be sent to a student in writing by both regular mail and email to the student’s addresses as they appear in the Registrar’s records. The University is not responsible for a student’s failure to maintain current addresses in the Registrar’s records. Instructors are also encouraged to give notice to the student in person when feasible.   Any notice of a finding or penalty shall include the name and ID number of the student, the college in which the student is enrolled, the course and section in which the offense occurred, the date and nature of the offense, the penalty that is being imposed or recommended, and any right that the student may have to appeal the finding or penalty.
5. "Suspension" means forced withdrawal from the University for a specified period of time, including exclusion from classes, termination of student status, and termination of all related privileges and activities.
6. "Dismissal" means termination of student status subject to the student's readmission as specified in SR 6.4.7.2.
7. "Expulsion" means permanent termination of student status. It is to be invoked only in unusual circumstances and when the offense committed is of such serious nature as to raise the question of the student's fitness to remain a member of the academic community.
8. "Days" refers to working days.
9. "Instructor" refers to the classroom instructor. 
10. The preponderance of the evidence standard shall be the "Standard of Proof" applied by each decision maker when determining whether a student has committed an academic offense. [US: 3/21/2016]